The University of Birmingham has made an impressive 15 place rise to 62nd in this year's QS World University Rankings, cementing its position in the top 100 universities globally and placing it 10th in the UK.

The University of Birmingham has won the Outstanding International Strategy Award in the 2014 Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards (THELMAs). The award honours Birmingham's bold approach to secure its position in Brazil as the UK higher education institute (HEI) partner of choice.

Written by Professor Stefan Wolff. Moldova has gone to the polls in a vote seen as crucial for determining the country's future direction. Preliminary results indicate that the pro-European parties together achieved about 44% of the vote, while those parties considered to be more pro-Russia came in with just under 40% of the vote, on a turnout of around 56%. These headline figures, however, mask a more complicated picture.

Written by Professor Scott Lucas. Iran has failed to reach an agreement with six world powers about the future of its nuclear programme after talks. Talks in Vienna about the future of Iran's nuclear programme have failed for the time being. The countries involved have agreed to resume discussions in December with a view to reaching a political agreement by March 1 next year and a final deal by the end of June.